William Coryell, M.D.

William Coryell, M.D., University of Iowa

Distinguished Investigator Grant (2008): $89,783

A Prospective Study of Completed Suicide in a Large Bipolar I Disorder Sample

Abstract: This research program will identify clinically important risk factors for suicide in bipolar I disorder and collect data necessary for genetic association studies of completed suicide. This study will collect the names and birthdates of individuals with bipolar I disorder identified in five successive waves conducted by the NIMH Genetics Initiative Bipolar Group. These will be submitted to a National Death Index search to identify those who have died and their causes of death. This outcome information will be added to the central data file and used to test hypothesis concerning relative risk factors for suicide in bipolar I disorder. The advantage of this study is that it will clearly identify risk factors in pure bipolar I disorder, uncontaminated by risk factors from other mood disorder patients.